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The Sheikah (シーカー Shīkā), or Shadow Folk, are a secretive, magical race devoted to the Great Goddesses. They swore loyalty to the Royal Family of Hyrule, perhaps due to their religious convictions, as the Princess of Hyrule oftentimes functions as a sort of "priestess" of the Goddesses.
Characteristics
The Sheikah are recognized by their distinctive red eyes, and the Sheikah emblem they usually wear. The only verified Sheikah also had pure white hair.
The Sheikah emblem is a single eye with a tear drop. The Ocarina of Time manga, which is not canon, states that the emblem used to be a single eye until the Sheikah tribe was betrayed, and the tear was added.
Ocarina of Time
Impa, the last remaining Sheikah
Ocarina of Time was the game in the series that introduced the Sheikah. The members of the race were considered outcasts in Hyrule, feared by the other denizens of the land.
The Sheikah had sworn loyalty to Hyrule and fought alongside the Hylians during the Hyrulean Civil War. During this war, however, many Sheikah died and the tribe nearly went extinct. The only known survivor was Impa, Princess Zelda's nursemaid.
Link soon meets up with the Sheikah after leaving the Kokiri Forest as a child. Heading northwest towards Hyrule Castle, Link soon meets up with Princess Zelda. Zelda asks Link to search for the three Spiritual Stones. Soon after, Link is introduced to Impa who teaches Link "Zelda's Lullaby," a song that was used not only to put Zelda to sleep as a child, but it was also a mark of connection to the Royal Family.
The last time Link sees Impa in his childhood is when Impa and Princess Zelda are seen being chased by Ganondorf. Despite Ganondorf's best efforts, Impa and the princess manage to escape from his clutches.
Seven years after first drawing the Master Sword from its pedestal, Link meets with another Sheikah named Sheik who, unbeknownst to Link, is really Princess Zelda in disguise. Having realized that Hyrule had been taken over by Ganondorf, Link teams up with Sheik to gather the Sage Medallions in order to open a path to Ganon's Tower and defeat the evil king once and for all. Sheik teaches Link songs that allow the hero to warp to the temples housing the medallions and shows Link the location of the next temple.
After Link finally defeats Bongo Bongo deep within the Shadow Temple, Impa is awakened as the Sage of Shadow. Impa bestows the Shadow Medallion to Link. Later, when the path to Ganon's Tower is opened, Impa and Zelda help Link to defeat Ganon and bring peace back to Hyrule.
Twilight Princess
Impaz
In Twilight Princess Impaz, who lives in Hidden Village (also known as "Old Kakariko") is speculated to be Sheikah or part Sheikah.
When Ilia was kidnapped, Impaz became friends with her and who later helped Ilia to escape. Later in the game, Link comes to visit the Hidden Village and finds it overrun by Bulbins. At first she mistook Link for a Bulbin, but after Link had purged the village of the beasts she let him into her house.
Impaz recognized Link by the stories Ilia had told her about him. Pleased by Ilia's safety, Impaz requested that Link return Ilia's Charm to her.
Soon after delivering the charm, Link came back to the Hidden Village to ask Impaz about the Dominion Rod which had mysteriously lost its power. Impaz was thrilled to see Link in possession of the rod, meaning that Link was the "messenger to the heavens" and that Impaz would have done her duty and be free to leave the Hidden Villiage. Impaz gave Link the Ancient Sky Book, saying that her meeting with Ilia must have been "ordained by the gods."
Impaz claims that her name came from the founder of the Hidden Village, which, is assumed to be Impa who originally founded Kakariko Village prior to the events of Ocarina of Time.
Legend of the Temples
Template:Sectstub Sheik first speaks to Link in the Temple of Time, just after his awakening after seven years. There the mysterious shadow youth tells Link of the Legend of the Five Temples:
"I've been waiting for you, Hero of Time... When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be Sages, who dwell in the five temples. One in a deep forest... One on a high mountain... One under a vast lake... One within the house of the dead... One inside a goddess of the sand... Together with the Hero of Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world. This is the legend of the temples passed down by my people, the Sheikah..."
This quote may suggest that the Sheikah are more than the hidden protectors of the Royal Family, but the guardians of the whole realm of Hyrule.
Members of the tribe
Verified Sheikah
The only verified Sheikah is Impa, Princess Zelda's caretaker and the Sage of the Shadow Temple. Zelda also disguises herself as the faux-Sheikah "Sheik", but it is unknown whether she actually took the form of a Sheikah, if she has Sheikah heritage, or she merely used a conventional disguise. As "Sheik", she has dark blonde hair, red eyes, and wears a prominent Sheikah emblem.
Possible Sheikah
There are many characters throughout the series who have characteristics similar to the Sheikah.
- Princess Zelda disguises herself as Sheik in Ocarina of Time, and wears the Sheikah emblem in Twilight Princess. Also, in The Wind Waker, it is said that her pirates conquered the Forsaken Fortress some time ago, and the Sheikah emblem is seen inside the room at the top.
- The Happy Mask Salesman seems to have red eyes (when angered), but they appear to just be bloodshot.
- Kafei, from Majora's Mask, has the distinctive red eyes.
- Impaz, the caretaker of the Ancient Sky Book and Old Kakariko from Twilight Princess, specifically claims that she is a descendant of and is named after the woman who founded the town and protected the Royal Family. This seems to be a reference to Impa.
- Baito, the human mailman from The Wind Waker, has the Sheikah emblem tattooed on his back.
- Madame Fanadi, the fortuneteller from Twilight Princess, has the distinctive red eyes and wears the Sheikah emblem on her forehead.
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